In today’s article, I will share with you the best desserts for fatty liver – and sweet snacks to satisfy that sweet tooth that (still) needs feeding.
Probably the biggest challenge after being diagnosed with a fatty liver is giving up dessert. But I am here to tell you that you can still find satisfaction for your sweet tooth, even with NAFLD!
Since foods with lots of sugar and high in carbs are totally out of the question and desserts are… well… sweet, it looks like we have to give up cakes and candy and alike completely, right?
Fortunately, that’s not exactly the case! And I am here to prove it by sharing some healthy sweet snack ideas and desserts you can have even if you’ve been diagnosed with a fatty liver disease.
These might not be exactly the things you’re used to having, but you will get to love them just like I did – and I still do, even now after having reversed my fatty liver.
The food industry – especially the healthy food industry – has evolved a lot in the past several years, so we do have options.
From healthy sweets that you can prepare at home to healthy(ish) treats that you can buy from a store, you have options.
And we’ll talk about them below: liver-friendly desserts that you can eat after being diagnosed with a fatty liver.
A word of caution! Even though these foods are indeed healthier that your regular sweets and have low or no sugar added, you shouldn’t have them on a daily basis.
These foods are still high in carbs and you should stay away from carbs when dieting to reverse your fatty liver.
So if you have just been diagnosed, only have these as a treat every now and then. Put as many days in between servings as possible.
If you’ve already improved your condition a lot (or completely reversed it), you can have these a bit more often, but don’t make it a daily habit either!
I actually recommend starting to consume these only after 1 month of heavy dieting and keeping sugar out of your system. The longer you can hold it, the better.
Eat fruits and fruit salads in the meantime to keep your sugar cravings low, and only then you will be ready to truly appreciate the taste of the recommended desserts and sweet snacks below.
Because, yes, after one month of not eating anything sugary, things you wouldn’t normally consider sweet will seem sweet, while the things you used to eat will surprise you at how nauseatingly sweet they are. (I know this from my own experience).
With these in mind, let’s not waste a single second and let’s check out my recommended deserts for fatty liver.
Make sure to always follow the notes I have for each of these recipes to keep them as liver-friendly as possible!
Please note: I get commissions for purchases made through the links below
Chocolate Fudge Pie
My notes: Make sure you use the crust recommended here in order to keep carbs at a minimum.
A delightful experience indeed and one of the few chocolate-filled sweets you can still have. In moderation!
Health Warrior Chia Bars
These are not things that you prepare yourself, which is a big pro in my opinion. I always said that I absolutely love them and I still do: they’re gluten free, without added sugar, tasty, healthy and delicious!
There are tons of different flavors available, so you will surely find something to love. I personally prefer the chocolate peanut butter one and the fruit varieties.
Note: While they don’t have added sugar, each bar has 2 grams of rice syrup (which is still sugar, in the end). I still believe this is an acceptable amount as part of a healthy diet.
I personally ate these (and most of the things recommended in this article, without any problems.
Oatmeal Peach Parfait
My notes: You should use fresh peaches instead of the sauteed ones in order to keep the carbs and fats low.
For the overnight Maple Bran Oats, use just 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey or some healthy sugar substitute like Erythritol or Stevia.
You can also try this with various other fruits – strawberries, blueberries and any sort of berry you can think of (see the image at the end of the article). Apples might work for the extra crunch.
Banana Pudding
My notes: Instead of the sugar, use 1 tablespoon of raw honey or a sugar substitute like the ones mentioned above. Or just don’t add any sugar, the bananas are sweet enough anyway!
That’s it Fruit Bars
This one is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Made of 100% fruits and nothing else, these fruit bars are delicious and healthy. Even my son loves them, which is an added bonus.
I recommend getting the gift pack above, which has 4 bars of each flavor so you can find your favorite. I like them all, to be honest, although I prefer the fig flavor for some reason.
Just two ingredients, 100% fruits, no preservatives or other baddies. Perfect for us!
Click here to check at Amazon.
Grain Free Blondies
My notes: Add just half of the almond butter in order to keep things healthier. Also, you can definitely use regular eggs instead of the flax eggs.
Rainbow Whole Fruit Popsicles
These are perfect for the hot days of summer and extremely refreshing. This has become the favorite dessert and ice cream replacement in our home. Healthy and delicious!
Rise Almond Honey Protein Bar
The biggest advantage of protein bars is, in my opinion, the fact that they keep you full for a long time. And this one that I’m recommending is probably the cleanest of them all.
It does have honey, which is a sugar in the end (but a healthier option nevertheless). Still, plenty of it at 13 grams per bar. However, apart from this, it only has a couple of other ingredients: almonds and whey protein isolate. Really good!
I wouldn’t have this more than once per week, as a treat. Too much sugar, especially if you’re early in your fight to reverse fatty liver. But still acceptable in my opinion.
Deep-Dish Apple Pie
My notes: When preparing the filling, don’t use any sugar at all, or use just half of the light brown sugar to keep the carbs low (and no granulated sugar).
Date & Coconut balls
My notes: DO NOT add the coconut oil, you don’t need all that extra fat. Instead, add some low fat milk (make sure it has no sugar added!) and you’re ready to go.
You can boil the dates a little bit in milk or water if they’re not very soft – a few minutes should be enough.
Finally, I sometimes add a “Raffaello” touch and put in half of an almond or a peanut in the middle of the balls for a crunchy surprise.
Homemade Vegan Nutella
Image source: Pinterest
Now here’s a little amazing treat that you can prepare at home. Here are the ingredients:
– 7oz / 200 grams of firm & silken tofu
– 2 cups soft pitted dates
– 1 cup toasted and peeled hazelnuts
– 3 tbsp baking cocoa powder
– 1½ tsp vanilla essence
– a pinch of salt
– have some drinking water on hand too (or low fat milk)
Here are the cooking instructions:
1. Place the hazelnuts and salt in a food processor and run it until you have a buttery paste.
2. When the hazelnuts are buttery, add in all the ingredients (minus the water) and blend until you have a smooth paste.
If you’re not happy with how creamy the final product is, add 1 tablespoon of water/milk (then one more and so on) until you get the desired creamy delight.
Wrapping up
So these would be some dessert ideas that are healthier and you can have them if you’re suffering from a fatty liver.
My recommendation? Try to limit having most of the things above to once per week (and just one of them!). But the longer you can go without eating them, the better!
Another thing I must repeat: even though these are better options than most of the sweets you can buy in stores or prepare at home, they should not be consumed in large quantities or on a regular basis.
Consider them treats, so have them every now and then to mark special occasions or reward you for reaching various milestones.
Do you have other healthy sweets that you use to eat now? Let us know by commenting below!
I was diagnosed with a fatty liver back in 2014 and managed to reverse it by mid 2015. Since then, I’ve been studying NAFLD and I have decided to share everything I have learned over the years to help you reverse your condition.
I am also the admin of the Fatty Liver Support Group on Facebook and the Fatty Liver Subreddit.
I have learned a lot and thanks for the information . i didn’t know anything about fatty liver and this was so helpful. I didn’t realize their wasn’t much you couldn’t eat. thanks mildred schrimsher
Happy to be able to help, Mildred!
In the Blondie recipe above, it says to use dates instead of sugar, however, dates are loaded with natural sugar that will contribute to the fatty liver even more. The only sugars in your diet, should be from berries, which have antioxidants. There are 93 grams of sugar in one cup of dates!
My sister is a nutritionist and she said to definitely not include dates in the fatty liver diet. She said it’s just as bad as eating dried fruit. Better to be safe than sorry, since not everyone digests sugar the same way.
If you can completely stay away from sugars, it’s indeed the best approach. But if you need a treat or a snack every now and then, they are definitely better than others.
Dates have a lot of sugar like all dried fruits, but they also come packed with other nutrients and I personally consider them fine. I actually had this while having fatty liver and still reversed it – but moderation is key here!
Is the butter and mayo made with olive oil good to eat with fatty liver
Unfortunately, not. The “butter” is actually margarine, which is actually extremely unhealthy, even if it’s made with olive oil.
I thought it was real with sweat cream,& olive oil. I will not buy